First quarter community update 2018

With the winter almost over, I would like to let you know how beautifully SikhRI has managed to kick off 2018.

In a new podcast series The 12 Gurus: From 1469 to Infinity, we shed light on the lives and meaning of Gurus in Sikhi. Although everyone knows them, their exact contributions raise questions on a daily basis.

SikhRI also started a new video series, The Fragrance of Bhai Vir Singh, exploring the legacy of the seminal poet. Known as the Sixth River of Panjab, Bhai Vir Singh gave style, rhythm, and flow to the modern Panjabi language. The new series introduces his poems, letters, and essays in new translations, presenting his work to the wider audience.

For the third year in a row, we chose a new eminent philosopher to feature in our Thursday Thoughts series. In 2016, it was Prof. Puran Singh. In 2017, Sirdar Kapur Singh. In 2018, it’s Principal Teja Singh — a scholar, author, and translator. To get bite-sized bits of his wisdom every Thursday, follow us on social media.

Also on social media, we continue our series of Today in Sikh History, which mark important moments for all of us to remember and reflect upon.

What unites everything SikhRI does is our focus on Guru Granth Sahib. The goal of our work is to inspire individuals and organizations to think critically based on Guru Granth Sahib’s paradigm.

Due to your generosity, we are able to keep on producing courses, webinars, presentations, transcreations, exhibitions, research papers, and so much more.

Just in the last couple of months, we’ve published a course on Anand Sahib, exploring the bani of the same name; a video series explaining Asa ki Var; and a report inquiring into the community issues related to the ceremony of Anand Karaj, as a second installation in the State of the Panth series.

Our events are diverse and widely attended, taking place all over North America, India, Australia, and the UK. This March, for example, we organized a celebration of Prof. Puran Singh’s incredible literary contributions in Anaheim, CA. New events are announced regularly.

In fact, this summer, SikhRI is running its 16th annual Sidak, a two-week leadership development and community building retreat. A transformative experience for inquisitive minds, Sidak offers an unparalleled opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of Sikhi.

As you can see, a lot happened during the past few months. I encourage you to take a look at some things you might have missed and don’t hesitate to send any feedback or suggestions to inni.kaur@sikhri.org directly.